


The Levels of Life

by Leakenobia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Injured Dooku, Jedi Training (Star Wars), Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Young Dooku, physical discipline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-07 18:05:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19474495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leakenobia/pseuds/Leakenobia
Summary: Teenage Michael Dooku gets in trouble with his Master, after he decides to take his lightsaber traning into his own hands.





	The Levels of Life

**Author's Note:**

> In my headcanon Dooku wasn't trained by Yoda, but by my original character Jedi Master Kenau Sio.

Padawan Michael Yan Dooku entered his apartment, nodded to his Master, and walked straight towards his room. But he could have saved himself the trouble. Master Kenau Sio, who was sitting on the couch reading a datapad, sensed at once that something was out of place. He put the datapad on the coffee table in front of him and with the force reached out to his apprentice, hoping to feel the reason for his distress, but was met with mental shields held tightly in place.

“Padawan, what is the matter?” The Master asked with concern. Dooku froze in place and slowly turned around. Master Sio studied his apprentice and even though Dooku did his best to hide his expression, his Master saw the pain on his face.

“What’s going on? Did you hurt yourself?” Dooku looked a little ashamed, but then decided to join the conversation:

“It’s nothing, Master”. That’s when Master Sio noticed his arm. Or rather not noticing it, as it was hidden behind his apprentice’s back. Sio took a deep breath and said:

“Dooku, show me your arm”.

“Really Master, it’s nothing” Dooku said in what he hoped was an innocent tone of voice. Sio crossed his arms over his chest and gave his Padawan a very dark look. No words were necessary. Dooku slowly pulled out his arm from behind his back.

“Come closer, please”. Master Sio said. Dooku crossed the floor so his Master could examine the damage. A very big and nasty burn covered most of his forearm.

“Star’s end boy, what happened?” Silence. The Master’s voice became more strict, as he asked:

“For your sake I really hope you haven’t been fighting again!”

“No, Master I haven’t, I swear”. Dooku’s eyes met his Master’s and the older man asked:

“If you haven’t been fighting, then how did you get the burn?” His padawan looked ashamed.

“It was my own fault….I wasn’t fast enough.” This confused the Master.

”You were practicing with the droids?” he asked.

”Yes Master” Dooku whispered to the floor.

”But that has never been a problem for you before” the Master wondered aloud. Master Sio couldn’t make sense of the situation. He believed his Padawan was telling the truth, when he said he had only been fighting droids, but Dooku was a great fighter for his age, and he had never walked away from one of these fights with a single burn on his body. Something didn’t add up. Master Sio decided to take charge of the situation. His apprentice was obviously hiding something. Master Sio reached out and raised his Padawan’s chin, which left very few inches between them.

“You got exactly two minutes to tell me what happened or you will find yourself in a world of trouble!” Dooku couldn’t help but winced, when his Master issued the warning. And without even hesitating, he spat out:

“I was practicing at level 7”. Master Sio got so surprised that he immediately let go of Dooku’s chin and took a step back.

”Level 7??” Have you completely lost your senses, boy?” Normally when Master Sio was sparring with his apprentice in one of the temple halls, and he needed a break from keeping up with his much younger student, he allowed Dooku to practice with the droids, but never higher than level 5. With his Master stunned, Dooku deemed this a good time to explain himself.

“Master, please understand! Level 5 is no challenge to me anymore!” This explanation caught the Master completely off guard, as he was still stunned from the other surprise. But unfortunately this made Dooku feel like his Master had simply chosen to ignore him. He could feel a frustration building inside of him. When Master Sio finally came to, he said the first thing that came to mind:

“What?” _He didn’t even bother to listen to me!_ Dooku’s frustration was now obvious:

“It’s much too easy for me, okay?!” Dooku continued and out of frustration raised his voice and practically shouted:

“Level 7 actually keeps me on my toes!” Master Sio matched the volume of his apprentice’s voice:

“Watch your mouth, Padawan! Why didn’t you come to me about it, if it frustrated you so?”

“I thought you were smart enough to notice it yourself” Dooku murmured under his breath. _Oh shit …_ Dooku squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it all was just a dream…. _please tell me he didn’t hear that_ … But unfortunately for the young apprentice his Master had excellent hearing. Dooku didn’t have to open his eyes to guess what his Master would do next.

The slap came fast and Dooku automatically lifted his hand to his now red cheek, while opening his eyes. He watched in horror as his Master raised his hand again. Dooku could do nothing but stare at Master Sio. The Master couldn’t believe that his Padawan had actually put himself in harm’s way, and furthermore … That’s when Master Sio sensed a great deal of pain coming from his young apprentice and found himself confused. After all he hadn’t hurt Dooku THAT much. Master Sio suddenly remembered the starting point of the fight. And then he remembered Dooku’s horrible burn. And to Dooku’s relief his Master lowered his hand again and sighed deeply.

“Go sit on the couch” Sio said. Dooku crossed the room and sat on the couch sulking. His forearm was still throbbing from pain and now his cheek hurt as well. Master Sio went into the kitchen and came back with a first aid kit and a bowl filled with cold water. With a sigh he said:

“Hold out your arm”. Even though Dooku was still pissed about the slap, he was desperate for the pain in his arm to disappear. Or at least not to get worse. Master Sio sat down in a chair opposite him and started to bath the burn in cold water. Dooku barely kept himself from screaming. Both of them sat in silence until the Master were done treating the injury.

Dooku had been so distracted by the cleaning of the burn that he had completely forgotten to sulk. He was still mad about the reason behind the fight. If a burn was the worst that could happen by sparring on a higher level, he really couldn’t see the problem. So without thinking he resumed the sulking. His Master had gone back to the kitchen to make them coffee, and when he came back and handed Dooku a mug, he noticed the sulking was back (it was in fact very hard not to notice). Master Sio heaved a deep sigh and took a sip of his coffee. He took a long look at his apprentice who had now moved from sulking and frustration to confusion. The Master wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

“What’s on your mind? You still seem distressed” Sio asked his apprentice. Dooku didn’t answer.

“I might be able to help you, if you tell me” his Master continued in a calm voice. The Padawan took a deep breath:

“With all due respect, Master, I still don’t get it” Dooku answered, still regarding his coffee mug.

“I’m sorry but I just don’t”. The Master couldn’t really decide if his apprentice was just being stubborn or honestly hadn’t caught the meaning of the situation. He decided to explain either way.

“I see. Did you even consider you might have hurt other body parts than your arm? If you had lost an eye, then where would we be? Or for that matter your WHOLE arm?” Dooku’s cheeks began to color.

“Don’t you think that would complicate your training? Or the missions?” Dooku nodded in silence.

“Now do you understand?” the older man asked quietly.

“Yes master” Dooku whispered, addressing the floor. They continued drinking their coffee in silence. Then Dooku broke the silence:

“I’m done. Can I go sparring?” Master Sio almost spat out his coffee.

“I beg your pardon?” He was just about to deliver another lecture when he noticed the sparkle in the corner of his Padawan’s eye. Then the boy burst out laughing. His Master couldn’t help but smile.

“Very amusing…… now go to bed”. Dooku got to his feet, carefully watching his forearm and walked into his room. His Master was left sitting in his chair.

“Cheeky little brat” he whispered to himself with a smile.


End file.
